Full Joe Biden ABC interview to begin airing shortlyJoe Biden’s full ABC interview with George Stephanopoulos, his first sit-down media appearance since his disastrous debate, will start airing shortly. Follow along here as we post key excerpts and takeaways from the conversation.In an short preview clip released earlier today, Biden brushed off concerns about his debate performance, saying he was feeling sick and exhausted, but that there was no reason to be concerned about any more serious condition. He rambled a bit in his responses in this excerpt. A transcript shared by ABC News included this answer to the question of whether he knew how badly the debate was going on:
Yeah, look. The whole way I prepared, nobody’s fault, mine. Nobody’s fault but mine. I, I prepared what I usually would do sittin’ down as I did come back with foreign leaders or National Security Council for explicit detail. And I realized – partway through that, you know, all – I get quoted the New York Times had me down, ten points before the debate, nine now, or whatever the hell it is. The fact of the matter is, what I looked at is that he also lied 28 times. I couldn’t – I mean, the way the debate ran, not – my fault, nobody else’s fault, no one else’s fault.”
The interview is airing at a critical time for Biden as he is facing escalating pressure to withdraw his candidacy. Biden gave a defiant, energetic campaign speech earlier today, but it has not stopped questions over whether he is a viable candidate to face Donald Trump.Biden and his representatives have repeatedly said this week that he was not considering dropping out.ShareUpdated at 19.58 EDTKey eventsShow key events onlyPlease turn on JavaScript to use this featureFourth Congress member calls for Biden to exit the raceA fourth Democratic Congress member has called for Joe Biden to withdraw from the race, Reuters reports.Mike Quigley, who represents Illinois, said on MSNBC:
“Mr President, your legacy is set. We owe you the greatest debt of gratitude. The only thing that you can do now to cement that for all time and prevent utter catastrophe is to step down and let someone else do this.”
Lloyd Doggett, Raul Grijalva and Seth Moulton, all House Democratic lawmakers, have also called for him to end his reelection campaign.ShareBiden says he’s ‘completely ruling out’ withdrawing from the raceReporters briefly asked Joe Biden questions in front of Air Force One just now, with one journalist first asking him if he was going to drop out of the race.“I’m completely ruling that out,” he responded. “I’ve beaten [Trump] before and I’ve gotten more done than any president has.”As reporters further questioned him on his viability, he criticized the media, saying, “You’ve been wrong about everything, so far. You were wrong about 2020. You were wrong about 2022, ‘We were going to get wiped out.’ Remember the ‘red wave’? You were wrong about 2023 … So look, we’ll see.”Biden also downplayed the calls for him to step aside: “All those governors said stay in the race,” he said, referring to his meeting this week with Democratic governors, after which many of them released statements of general support for Biden. When a journalist asked about Massachusetts governor Maura Healey, who published a statement today breaking from the group and raising doubts about him remaining the nominee, Biden noted that she didn’t say anything during his meeting.Biden also committed to doing another debate: “I hope he’ll debate me. I’m committing now [to debating] absolutely.”Asked about reports that Democratic Senator Mark Warner wants him to withdraw, Biden responded, “He’s the only one.”Asked about Sen. Mark Warner wanting him to step aside, President Biden responded: “He’s the only one”— Matt Viser (@mviser) July 5, 2024

ShareUpdated at 19.12 EDTWatch the first clip from Joe Biden’s George Stephanopoulos interview here:STEPHANOPOULOS: Was this [the debate] a bad episode or the sign of a more serious condition?BIDEN: It was a bad episode. No indication of any serious condition. I was exhausted. I didn’t listen to my instincts in terms of preparing, and I had a bad night. pic.twitter.com/ONIGZEfKQU— JM Rieger (@RiegerReport) July 5, 2024

There was no major news or surprises in this first excerpt. Echoing comments he and other officials have made since last week’s debate, Biden brushed off concerns about his performance, saying he was exhausted and sick, but that it was not a sign of any more “serious condition”.The full interview airs at 8pm EST tonight.ShareABC airs excerpt of Biden interview: ‘I had a bad night’ABC has aired an excerpt from its interview with Joe Biden with George Stephanopoulos, which will air in full at 8pm EST. The excerpt featured Stephanopoulos asking the president about his poor debate performance and whether it was a “bad episode or a sign of a more serious condition”. Biden responded:
It was a bad episode [not] a serious condition … I was exhausted. I didn’t listen to my instincts in terms of preparing … I had a bad night .. I was sick, I was feeling terrible … The doctor did a test to see whether or not I had some infection or virus, I didn’t. I just had a really bad cold.”
Biden also pointed out that Trump repeatedly lied during the debate. After Stephanopoulos pointed out that Biden seemed to do poorly from the very start of the debate, the president said, “I just had a bad night.”ShareUpdated at 18.55 EDTDavid SmithWarning signs of Joe Biden’s decline were hiding in plain sight well before last month’s calamitous US presidential debate performance against Donald Trump.But Biden had the perfect cover: a long history of verbal slips and other blunders that made it hard to blame his age alone. “I am a gaffe machine,” he admitted in December 2018 when asked about potential liabilities of his election campaign.He also medical experts on his side. In 2021 Dr Kevin O’Connor, the president’s physician, pronounced Biden “a healthy, vigorous 78-year-old male who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the presidency”.Critics say there was a conspiracy of silence at the White House, however. The 36 press conferences that Biden had given by the end of June were fewer than any president in the same timeframe since Ronald Reagan.Biden’s team came down hard on reporters who questioned whether the oldest president in American history – now 81 – was still fully capable of doing the job. Journalists also wanted to avoid the accusation of ageism or that they were helping to elect Trump.“It is simply astounding for the entire country, including its most seasoned reporters, to be as shocked as everyone was by the ugly and painful reality of Biden’s debate performance,” Jill Abramson, former executive editor of the New York Times, wrote on the Semafor website this week.While it was a “super hard story to report”, she said it could have been done. Instead, Abramson said, the American press failed in its duty to hold those in power accountable. Here are some of the dots that, with the benefit of hindsight, could have been joined sooner:ShareRobert TaitHistory may record them as eight days that sunk a presidency, or at least the rockiest road to a convention in living memory – a week that has left Joe Biden’s re-election bid hanging by a thread.Here’s a timeline of the week that left Biden’s re-election bid hanging by a thread:ShareAnother Democrat in Congress has expressed doubts about Joe Biden’s viability: I look forward to seeing President Biden’s taped interview with George Stephanopoulos. It’s important that the President also have an extended LIVE interview as soon as possible. (1/3)— Congressman Brad Sherman (@BradSherman) July 5, 2024

Brad Sherman, from California, posted that he was looking forward to the president’s upcoming interview on ABC, but also said it was “important” that Biden conduct an “extended LIVE interview” as soon as possible.His statement further suggested that party rules do not mandate that Biden remain on the ticket:
Counter to popular belief, the rules of the Democratic Party do NOT require that pledged delegates vote for Biden at the convention. Party rules require delegates’ votes, “reflect the sentiments of those who elected them,” at the time the delegates cast their ballots.
Democratic Congressmembers Raúl Grijalva and Lloyd Doggett have publicly called on Biden to withdraw his candidacy. In another defiant speech, Biden told supporters in Wisconsin earlier today that he would not be quitting the race.ShareDonald Trump’s links to Project 2025The Biden campaign has responded to Donald Trump’s attempt to distance himself from Project 2025, a rightwing effort to aggressively roll back civil rights and other liberal policies. After Trump on Friday claimed, “I know nothing about Project 2025,” and “I disagree with some of the things they’re saying,” the Biden campaign pointed out the former president’s many connections to the initiative:Trump just desperately tried to claim he knows “nothing” about Project 2025. FACT CHECK:—His Super PAC is running ads promoting Project 2025, calling it “Trump’s Project 2025”—His top aide and former bag boy John McEntee is the guy behind Project 2025—His press secretary is… pic.twitter.com/O3Dqey07UT— Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) July 5, 2024

The Make America Great Again Super Pac supporting Trump has run ads promoting the effort and calling it, “Trump’s Project 2025.” John McEntee, who served as director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office under Trump, was brought on last year as a senior adviser for Project 2025 via the Heritage Foundation, an influential rightwing conservative thinktank that has drafted the plans to dismantle and reorganize US government.Led by the Heritage Foundation, Project 2025 is a manifesto that calls for a crackdown on immigration, the reversal of LGBTQ+ rights, further erosion of reproductive rights, the undoing of environmental protections and the implementation of other rightwing policy goals. Trump allies and former appointees have been involved in the effort.The Trump campaign previously said Project 2025 was not its own initiative, but that it was “appreciative” of suggestions from other groups. Trump has also directly praised the Heritage Foundation and said “we need the help” from the group, as Biden’s campaign pointed out. And the Heritage Foundation has also previously claimed credit for Trump administration policies.More here from our past coverage of Project 2025:ShareJoe Biden will reportedly hold a solo press conference next Thursday, according to journalist Jacob Gardenswartz, citing senior administration officials on a call with reporters.Officials have not publicly confirmed the event, but news of a potential media conference led by Biden comes as the president has faced increasing pressure to speak with reporters and do interviews in the wake of his poor debate performance.Biden has done fewer press conferences and media interviews than any of his past seven predecessors at this point in his term, according to a report this week in Axios. His first post-debate interview will air this evening on ABC.ShareSummarySome key events and links from the day so far, as we prepare for Joe Biden’s major ABC interview to air this evening:
Biden delivered an energetic campaign speech in Madison, Wisconsin, saying: “I am running and going to win again.”
The Massachusetts governor, Maura Healey, broke from other Democratic governors supporting Biden’s campaign and issued a statement urging him to “listen to the American people and carefully evaluate whether he remains our best hope to defeat Donald Trump”.
The White House said Biden was seen by his doctor after the debate and that the physician found he was fine and “recovering well” after reports he was suffering from a cold.
Donald Trump attempted to distance himself from Project 2025, an agenda of rightwing activists to erode civil rights and other progressive policies under a second Trump term. But key figures involved in Project 2025 are closely linked to Trump.
Several powerful Democratic backers have said they will pause donations until Biden steps aside.
Robert F Kennedy Jr made a startling pledge to not “take sides” with respect to the September 11 terrorist attacks if his long-shot presidential campaign vaults him to the White House.
ShareUpdated at 16.44 EDTDemocratic senator reportedly advocating for Biden’s exitMark Warner, a Democratic senator from Virginia, is organizing a group of senators to urge Joe Biden to exit the race, according to a new report in the Washington Post, based on accounts of “two people with direct knowledge of the effort”.The Post reports:
Warner is telling Democratic senators that President Biden can no longer remain in the election in the wake of his faltering debate performance, according to the people familiar with private conversations who spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak freely. The Virginia senator has told others that he is deeply concerned Biden is not able to run a campaign that could beat former president Donald Trump.
The senator’s spokesperson did not confirm or deny the report to the Post, saying in a statement: “Like many other people in Washington and across the country, Senator Warner believes these are critical days for the president’s campaign, and he has made that clear to the White House.”The report was published as Biden delivered an energetic campaign speech in Wisconsin reiterating that he was not ending his campaign. But he continues to face pressure and scrutiny. The Massachusetts governor, Maura Healey, who has been a Biden campaign surrogate, issued a statement earlier today urging the president to “listen to the American people and carefully evaluate whether he remains our best hope to defeat Donald Trump”.ShareUpdated at 16.20 EDTJoe Biden tells rally in Wisconsin: ‘I’ll beat Trump again’Addressing a crowd of whooping supporters, Joe Biden delivered an energetic rally speech in Madison, Wisconsin – a major swing state.Biden opened up his remarks by taking a jab at a Fourth of July comment made by Donald Trump in 2019 when Trump said that revolutionary war troops “took over the airports” from the British.“He’s a stable genius,” Biden said mockingly.He went on to vow to beat Trump but not before accidentally slipping up with his words.“I’m staying in the race … I will beat him again in 2020,” said Biden, before correcting himself a few seconds later by saying: “And by the way, we’re going to do it again in 2024.”Biden went on to address criticisms about his age, with the 81-year old president saying: “I keep seeing all those stories about being too old … You think I’m too old to restore Roe v Wade as the law of the land? Too old to ban assault weapons again? To protect social security and Medicare? … Too old to beat Donald Trump?”He then cited Trump’s criminal record, calling him a convicted felon with the “morals of an alley cat” and pointing to Trump’s involvement in the January 6 riots in 2021.“You can’t be pro-insurrectionist and pro-American at the same time,” he said, adding: “This is so damn serious. You can’t love your country only when you win.”Biden’s demeanor throughout his nearly 20-minute address on Friday was energetic and forceful, marking a stark shift away from his performance during last week’s debate, which saw him struggle to articulate his thoughts.With one campaign event out of the way, Biden has several more tests facing him amid these make-or-break days, with a crucial ABC News interview with George Stephanopoulos set to air tonight at 8pm.ShareUpdated at 17.15 EDTIn his closing remarks, Joe Biden said:“I have never been more optimistic about America’s future because the American people are decent, good, honorable. Just remember who in God’s name we are. We’re the United States of America …“So let’s stand together, win this election and exile Donald Trump.”ShareUpdated at 15.53 EDT“You can’t be pro-insurrectionist and pro-American at the same time,” Joe Biden said.“This is so damn serious. You can’t love your country only when you win,” he added.“Ultimately, the American presidency is about character … It’s about the president’s decency, integrity. Do they respect people or do they incite violence and hate? … And what’s worse, the supreme court has just ruled … for virtually no limits on the power of the presidency …“We just celebrated the Fourth of July saying we will not be ruled by a king.”ShareUpdated at 15.48 EDT“Trump’s biggest lie of all is he had nothing to do with the insurrection of January 6,” said Joe Biden.He went on to say:“We all saw with our own eyes. We saw he sent thousands to attack the Capitol. We saw police being attacked, the Capitol being ransacked, mob hunting for Nancy Pelosi, gallows set up to hang Mike Pence.“Let me ask you something, after what Trump did on January 6, why would anyone ever let him be near the Oval Office again?”ShareUpdated at 15.46 EDTJoe Biden repeated his popular line from last week’s debate, saying that Donald Trump “has the morals of an alley cat”.The crowd whooped in response as Biden went on to forcefully say: “Trump is a convicted felon … Donald Trump isn’t just a convicted criminal – he’s a one-man crime wave.”ShareUpdated at 15.46 EDT